I could think of a few reasons why you wouldn't want to play them at the 3. Offensively, neither can spread the floor with their shooting. This deficiency allows opposing teams to double our post guys with impunity and cut off driving lanes without fear of being hurt by kickouts. Nor do either possess the handle required to drive by NBA perimeter defenders. Additionally, playing at the 3 lessens, if not negates, their offensive strengths by taking them away from the paint and the post, where they are actually offensively viable.

Defensively, you wouldn't want them guarding 3s either. That defensive responsibility would bring them away from the basket where they would no longer be able to effectively block shots and rebound. This would hurt Maxiell, who is a decent shot-blocker, and utterly destroy Amir's contributions as both our best rebounder and shot-blocker. Neither would be particularly adept (and I'm being kind here) at stopping dribble penetration. This problem is exacerbated by the rule change that doesn't allow contact on the perimeter. That's why the league has moved away from oversized 3s towards smaller, more skilled swingmen.

This is most likely why Joe drafted Afflalo and Meijia, both of whom appear to be strong perimeter defenders capable of stopping penetration.

That's just of off of the top of my head. I'm sure I could think of more.

"Johnson was 6-foot-9 when the Pistons drafted him in June 2005. When they measured him to start fall camp in October 2006, he was 6-foot-11. We’ll find out if he’s still growing when they measure him again this October."

Buddahfan, I agree that Amir has the ability to drive to the hoop. However, this appears to be because he has a quickness advantage against other bigs, and the fact that he's not usually starting his drives form the wing. His one or two dribbles before finishing at the hoop aren't going to cut it against tough swingmen on the perimeter. He'll probably get there, but he needs to improve his handle before that happens.

Lemonpen, am I willing to try them at the 3? That's really not my call, but for the sake of arguement, I'll ask- Why would you want to do that? Sure, there may be certain situations where you might want to, say, against Cleveland. They could be playing Big Z, Gooden, and Lebron. Here we might want to plug in Maxiell, or Amir and go big, especially if Sheed's out there spreading the floor. But as a regular rotation move? For reasons I've outlined earlier it just doesn't make sense to me. We'd be far better served with both of these young guys as fixtures in our bigman rotation and try to find other answers for our backup perimeter positions, either through trades or by trying Afflalo. Why not maximize their abilities and put them in situations where they can be successful?

Trying to force them to regularly play the 3 smells like desperation and wishful thinking to me.

Do any of you guys actually watch basketball, other than Piston games? Do y'all hoop at all? During the playoffs Don Nelson put a lineup on the floor of a bunch of athletic guys who can run, jump, shoot, and defend. He basically had 2pg's,2wings, and a tweener forward on the floor....and they competed and won. I see no reason that we couldn't have a 2nd lineup of Stuck, Alf, Max, Amir, &Tay/Rip on the floor. Fast, long athletic rebounding players, I'll let Dr.Lee do all the rotation crunching to show how this could reduce limits on the starters.

It takes a very talented coach with a very unorthodoxed way of playing/coaching the game to make that system work effectively. I'm not saying Flip is untalented, because i think the guy has real ability coaching the offensive game, but i think Nellie ball may be difficult (not impossible) for him to implement. I have to say, it is the exact opposite of the drag it out possession-by-possession style of play that won our team its last championship, but i'd be thrilled to watch it and young guys would be the best way to try it (they have not yet been indoctrinated with the drag it out mentality). I just have doubts as to whether Flip is the guy to implement it.

Nellie ball is murder against extremely structured teams like Dallas and San Antonio... maybe us too. Better to take a weakness and turn it into a strength than vice-versa.

I wouldn't switch our whole offensive scheme over, but why not have a young fast 2nd unit that plays in that unorthodox fashion. The fact is that we have some really good young players who all play the same position (SG & SF), and Flip needs to get creative and think outside the box in order to take advantage of the personnel this season.

I like the idea of using the young guys' energy and creating a contrast in styles. The one thing they will have right off the bat is energy. The efficiency on offense in structured sets will probably not be there for a while.

I wouldn't switch our whole offensive scheme over, but why not have a young fast 2nd unit that plays in that unorthodox fashion. The fact is that we have some really good young players who all play the same position (SG & SF), and Flip needs to get creative and think outside the box in order to take advantage of the personnel this season.

Click to expand...

I couldn't agree with you more. AJ, Maxiell, Afflalo, and Dupree/Mejia are all born to run. Rip and Tay are open floor nightmares as well, so we don't have to make a wholesale, platoon style substitution in order to do it. The question is- Can Stuckey push it?

I couldn't agree with you more. AJ, Maxiell, Afflalo, and Dupree/Mejia are all born to run. Rip and Tay are open floor nightmares as well, so we don't have to make a wholesale, platoon style substitution in order to do it. The question is- Can Stuckey push it?

Click to expand...

Well i would think there are two main options for playing with speed and athleticism...

Nellie-ball/Drive and Dish with Stuckey playing the part of a poor man's Baron Davis

Clearly he cant be either of these guys overnight, but i can see us trying to use him as a drive and disher more than a run and gunner. I like Mejia being played with the athletic line-up too, he looks like a good court-vision guy and he'll go after loose balls and cleanup points (something that occurs often in fast paced offenses)

I don't understand how Amir is still growing at 18 and 19 (Is he 19 yet?). I stopped growing (height wise) at 16 and everyone I know has stopped at 16 and 17. I don't understand how the guy can still be growing that much. I don't know

I don't understand how Amir is still growing at 18 and 19 (Is he 19 yet?). I stopped growing (height wise) at 16 and everyone I know has stopped at 16 and 17. I don't understand how the guy can still be growing that much. I don't know

Click to expand...

Look at Rodman, who left highschool at what, 6'3"?

I grew 2 inches taller when I was 20/21. It's possible, especially for the taller guys.

We need to get an embedded reported in there with a camera and tape measure when the Pistons have weight/height day.